Fountain pen



L. F. PERWAS FOUNTAIN PEN July w; 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1946 I NVEN TOR.

was

ATTCI RN EYE Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN Ludwig F. Perwas, Bronx, N. Y.

Application September 25, 1946, Serial No. 699,313

7 Claims. (01. 120-47) This invention relates to improvements in fountain pens.

An object of the invention is to provide a pen having an improved pumping mechanism, an improved pen point and an improved ink feedin mechanism.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the pump mechanism;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the component parts of the pen point;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line of Figure 8;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the packing washer;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section of the pen point in writing position;

Figure 10 is a view partly in section of a modified form of ink supplying mechanism;

Figure 11 is a sectional view on the line of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an elevational view of the piston plunger;

Figure 13 is an elevational view of the ink feeding tube;

Figure 14 is a modified form of pen point mechanism and Figure 15 is an elevational view of the form of pen point used in the mechanism shown in Figure 14.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, the reference numeral designates the tubular housing on which, at the top thereof, is provided the movable screw threaded knurled cover 2|.

The upper end of the housing 20 is internally threaded at 22 to receive the threaded washer 23 at the lower end of the threads, which provides a seat for the packing 24.

The packing 24, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, is provided with a central opening 25 which is countersunk at 26 on both sides of the packing,

2 and the marginal edges of the packing are inclined at 21 on both sides thereof.

Seated on the upper side of the packing 24 is a compression washer 28 which is provided on its upper side with the concentric ring-like projection 29 which permits a more eflicient compression of the packing 24. En aging this ring, and threadably mounted in the housing 20 is the compression screw 30 which is slotted at 3| to receive a screw driver, and this screw is used for adjusting the compression of the packing 24.

Slidably mounted in the alined central openings of the above mentioned elements is the Diston rod 32 having the removable finger knob end 33 which is threadably connected to the upper end of the rod 32, the rod being assembled of the two above mentioned parts after it has been mounted as described.

The rod 32 is provided with a short longitudinal passageway 34 having the inlet port 35 and outlet port 36 which is controlled by the spring pressed ball valve 31 retained in'the rod by the end 33. Below the inlet port 35, the rod is provided with the circular flange 360, which engages on the undersurface thereof the conical shaped helix compression spring 3'la'which engages the upper surface of the piston ring 38 which is provided with the countersunk central bore 39 to engage the upper conical face 40 of the plunger 4| which is secured to the end of the rod 32 by a screw 42, and the periphery of the plunger 4| is provided with relatively spaced vertical open face slots 43.

Below the plunger 4|, there is provided the transverse retainer partition 44 which, provided with spaced openings 45, supports the curved ends 46 of the U-shaped capillary action siphon feed tubes 41 and 41a.

Mounted intermediate the partition 44, and plunger 4|, and engaging both, is the conical shaped helix compression spring 48 which urges the plunger 4| upwardly to unseat the piston ring 38 from the counterbored seat 49 in the housing 20 above the partition 44 as shown in Figure 2. This seat acts as a stop for disconnecting the plunger 4| and piston ring 33 to permit air or liquid to pass beyond the piston and ring, but mainly to permit the ink beyond the piston ring to flow to the point II. The partition 44 is provided with a central port 50 and curved ports 5| adjacent the periphery thereof to permit air and ink to flow above and below the partition 44.

The housing 20, at the lower end, is counterbored at 52 to receive the circular dividing plug 53 which is retained in the housing 20 by the 3 locking detent 54 which is controlled by a circular spring 55 mounted in the groove 55a to force the detent into the opening 56 in the Wall of the housing 20.

The plug 53 is provided with a circular groove 51 on each face thereof, and the hollow central portion formed at the center of the plug extends below the lower face of the plug to form the tubular projection58 in which is mounted the absorbent material 59, and the projection is provided with opposed inlet ports 60 and the upper end is closed by the threaded perforated disc 6| which retains the material 59 in the central portion, and projection 58. The tubes 41 and 41a have one end extending below and through the grooves 51 in the plug 5.3 and the other end terminating in the groove 51' on the upper face of the plug.

The housing 29 is internally threaded at 62 to receive the lower well housing 63 which has a central well or chamber 64, into which the projection 58 extends, and the lower circular internally threaded recess 65 which is separated from the chamber 64 by the partition 66 ported at 61, and a gasket 68 is provided at the contacting surfaces of the plug 53 and housing 63 to provide a leak-proof seal.

Threadably mounted in the housing 63 at the bottom thereof, is the tapered pen point housing or conical plug 69 having a conical shaped central bore 18 in which is mounted the hollow conical shaped pen point ll having the ball nib 12. The pen point H is provided with relatively spaced ink openings '|3 which communicate with the grooves 14 in the conical shaped tip 15 of the threaded plug 16 which is slotted at I! to receive a screw driver for the adjusting thereof. The plug being threadably mounted in the threaded portion 18 of the point "H permits the pen point assembly to revolve about its longitudinal axis. The openings 19 adjacent the nib l2 feed ink to the nib, and a packing 80 in the housing 69 prevents the ink from the openings 13 from flowing onto the nib I2.

Threadedly mounted in the upper end of the point housing 69 is an adjusting nut Si in which is threadably mounted in the central threaded opening 82 thereof, .an adjusting hollow screw 83 which limits themovement of the point II, and a compression spring 84 engaging the nut BI and point ll urges the point H outwardly to closely engage the conical shaped bore of the housing 59.

The rod 32 is reciprocated within the housing to draw ink therein. The spring 3111 maintains a tight fit between the plunger 4| and ring 38 at the start of the backward stroke. On the forward stroke, the greater pressure in front of the plunger 4| will force-its way beyond the ring 38 as spring ,31 is-constructed to operate under fifteen pounds air pressure. If. a stronger spring is used, the ,counterbored seat 49 will separate the plunger 4| .and ring :38 at the end of the stroke by the ring .38 seating therein, and remaining at rest.

The plunger 4! moves further down when the cover 2| is replaced, thereby providing space between the ring 38 and plunger 4i so as to permit the liquid to flow beyond the ring 38, and the flange 36c so as to utilize all available space, also to permit the airto flow beyond the ring 38 and rod 32, so :as to be ejected therefrom. .Thus the seat 49 is provided to permit the liquid to occupy all available space, and .to permit it to flow toward the pen point when the cover 2! is an. The

4 spring 48 is used to move the plunger 4| on the backward stroke to avoid marring the smooth inner wall of the housing, and is similar to, but stronger than, spring 31a.

The chamber 64 assures a constant flow of ink to the pen point, and the tubes 4'! permit refilling of the housing. Besides keeping the chamber 64 supplied with ink, the absorbent material maintains and controls the supply of ink to the chamber, and the absorbent material prevents the ink from flowing out of the chamber when the pen is inverted. However, this construction may be omitted, since the tube 41a will supply the chamber 64 without the use of these elements by making the diameter of the tube 41a sufiiciently small to obtain capillary attraction. Ink flows to the point H from the chamber 64 through screw 83, ports 13 and grooves 14 in the plug 16 out openings 19, and the ink can be of the conventional type or it can be the new jelly-like type of ink that is used at the present time.

In Figure 9, the pen point is shown in writing position, illustrating how the ink flows to the point as previously described.

In Figure 10, the circular plug 85 is similar in respect to plug 53 in that it is seated in the bore 52 and is provided with a circular groove 86 to seat the circular spring 81, housing the locking detent 88 thereon, which enters the opening 89 in the housing 2%.

The plug 85 has the bridge portion 89 forming the circular recesses 90 and 9! and a siphon feed tube 92 is threadably connected thereto at the lower end and engagesthe spring 48a at its upper end. Mounted centrally .of the bridge 89 and extending upwardly into the tube 92 and down wardly into the chamber 64 is the tubular member 93 which is a capillary action siphon feed tube which, with tube 92, forms the complete capillary action unit, and tube 92 is provided with opposed inlet ports 94.

By capillary action, the liquid passes through ports 94 into tube 92, thence to tube 93 to the chamber 64, thus providing a full supply of ink to chamber 64, and the capillary action of the tube co-acts with the pump mechanism to permit the liquid in the housing chamber 95 from flowing out of the chamber after a full supply has been obtained by the operation of the plunger mechanism.

In Figures 14 and 15, there is shown a modified form of pen point. The nib :99 is provided with a slot I00 which communicates with the grooves Illl in the pointed end 492 of the threaded plug I03, having the slot [94 for a screw driver, and this plug is similar to plug '15 in its operation, ink from ports I05 entering the groove to supply the nib 99.

It is believed that the construction and operation of the pen will be apparent to those skilled in the .art, and it is to be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts without depar-ting from the spirit of the-invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fountain pen of the ball point type, a tubular housing having a transverse partition with openings therein intermediate of the ends of the vhousing,-a cap threaded'in one end of the housing, a point carrying plug having a conical Outer surface in the opposite end of the housing,

a tapering shank forming a valve and having grooves in the surface freely mounted in the point carrying plug, said shank having a ball providing a nib on the outer end and positioned to close the grooves to check the flow of ink to the nib except when the nib is pressed inward as in use, a dividing plug having a recess in the upper surface removably mounted in the housing spaced from the point carrying plug, capillary and siphon feed tubes mounted in the transverse partition with a long end thereof extending through the said dividing plug and a short end extending into the recess in the upper surface of the dividing plug, and a reciprocating pump plunger mounted in the upper end of the housing below the cap.

2. A fountain pen as described in claim 1, in which the dividing plug carries a downwardly extending tubular projection with openings therethrough and an absorbent pad therein to provide seepage of ink through said dividing plug.

3. A fountain pen as described in claim 1, in which a head is provided on the upper end of the said pump plunger by which the plunger may be reciprocated by hand, said head of the pump plunger positioned inside of the cap threaded on the end of the housing.

4. A fountain pen as described in claim 1, in which a valve is provided in the pump plunger to provide passage of ink through the plunger with the plunger in the downward position, and a spring is provided between the plunger and transverse partition for returning the plunger.

5. In a ball point pen having a tubular handle with ink retaining, feeding and filling means therein, and having a conical nib holding plug carried by the lower end, said nib holding plug having an inverted conical shaped bore, a hollow conical shaped pen point having a ball nib at the lower end thereof positioned in the conical shaped bore of the plug, and a conical shaped ink regulating tip threaded in said pen point having vertically disposed grooves in the outer surface, and said hollow conical shaped pen point having openings through the walls thereof positioned above and below the threads of the tip whereby ink is fed to the point as pressure is applied to the ball nib.

6. In a ball point pen having a tubular handle with ink retaining, feeding and filling means therein, and having a conical nib holding plug carried by the lower end, said nib holding plug having an inverted conical shaped bore, a hollow conical shaped pen point having a ball nib at the lower end thereof, positioned in the conical shaped bore of the plug, means resiliently urging the hollow conical shaped pen point outwardly, and a conical shaped ink regulating tip threaded in said pen point having vertically disposed grooves in the outer surface and said hollow conical shaped pen point havingopenings through the walls thereof positioned above and below the threads of the tip whereby ink is fed to the point as pressure is applied to the ball nib.

7. In a ball point pen having a tubular handle with ink retaining, feeding and filling means therein, and having a conical nib holding plug carried by the lower end, said nib holding plug having an inverted conical shaped bore, a hollow conical shaped pen point having a ball nib at the lower end thereof positioned in the conical shaped bore of the plug, a spring in the nib holding plug resiliently urging the hollow conical shaped pen point outwardly, and a sealing ring spaced from the outer end of the nib holding plug and positioned in the conical shaped bore for preventing ink from flowing around the conical shaped pen point, and a conical shaped ink regulating tip threaded in said pen point having vertically disposed grooves in the outer surface, and said hollow conical shaped pen point having openings through the walls thereof positioned above and below the threads of the tip whereby ink is fed to the point as pressure is applied to the ball nib.

LUDWIG F. PERWAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,179,086 Foster Apr. 11, 1916 1,230,916 Mason June 26, 1917 1,327,729 Paschal Jan. 13, 1920 1,369,184 Perkins Feb. 22, 1921 1,507,729 Dahlberg Sept. 9, 1924 2,187,160 Kobler Jan. 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,136 Great Britain 1888 

